Cycle Lanes - Just What is The Point????

Ernest

Dublin City Council are wasting millions ( or perhaps just hundreds of thousands) of Euros on painting the sides of the roads red. It doesn't actually say so but these thick red lines are probably supposed to be bicycle lanes. Now its obviously a good idea to facilitate cyling but these thick red lines are just placed where people park outside houses and nobody has set out any rules on how they are supposed to work. Is it an offence to park on them? Clearly nobody thinks so as they are parked upon everywhere. That makes them useless for cyclists and even dangerous arguably. Are there actually any regulations? Or is just the usual business of the Gardai not bothering to enforce the laws? Or perhaps there are no laws and the thick red lines are just a way of making everyone feel guilty without really helping the cyclist. Incidentally, many city centre cycle paths are far too narrow and place cyclists within millimetres of dangerous lorry and bus traffic.

Greenman

Ernest wrote:

Dublin City Council are wasting millions ( or perhaps just hundreds of thousands) of Euros on painting the sides of the roads red. It doesn't actually say so but these thick red lines are probably supposed to be bicycle lanes. Now its obviously a good idea to facilitate cyling but these thick red lines are just placed where people park outside houses and nobody has set out any rules on how they are supposed to work. Is it an offence to park on them? Clearly nobody thinks so as they are parked upon everywhere. That makes them useless for cyclists and even dangerous arguably. Are there actually any regulations? Or is just the usual business of the Gardai not bothering to enforce the laws? Or perhaps there are no laws and the thick red lines are just a way of making everyone feel guilty without really helping the cyclist. Incidentally, many city centre cycle paths are far too narrow and place cyclists within millimetres of dangerous lorry and bus traffic.

When I'm in Dublin I avoid the roads with cycle lanes if possible. In general they are badly thought out and slow you up eg Whitescross towards Mount Merrion A cycle lane should be something that cyclists like to use and where the motorist says to him/herself as the cyclist whizzes by "must get on my bike that looks like better way to travel". I find that the cycle lanes in Dublin are badly kept with lots of glass and debris. Unless someone from Holland designs the cyclepaths I would say forget it and give the money elsewhere.

Scarinae

Contrary to what you think, the cycle lanes are actually a way of making money. The primary motivation for having cycle lanes is money, that's why they're so badly thought out. You get more funding from the EU if you have so many kilometres of cycle lane - it doesn't matter if it's just 50 metres here and 50 metres there with no connection between the bits, or if they're too narrow, or if the layouts make no sense. All that's required is that they have so many kilometres of cycle lanes, and they get extra funding for road building and road development. This is all according to my driving instructor by the way.

Cycling in these aforementioned cycle lanes is a terrifying experience. I used to cycle a set distance twice a week around my district and I encountered people parking all over them, people driving all over them (not really their fault, as in many places the road is so narrow it's impossible to avoid driving in them), broken glass, large puddles and potholes, and worst of all the cycle lane suddenly disappearing. It is a ridiculous situation, I think they should either have proper cycle lanes or none at all. And I think that the extra funding should not be given unless the cycle lanes are actually safe for use and properly maintained.

Greenman

Fishie wrote:

Contrary to what you think, the cycle lanes are actually a way of making money. The primary motivation for having cycle lanes is money, that's why they're so badly thought out. You get more funding from the EU if you have so many kilometres of cycle lane - it doesn't matter if it's just 50 metres here and 50 metres there with no connection between the bits, or if they're too narrow, or if the layouts make no sense. All that's required is that they have so many kilometres of cycle lanes, and they get extra funding for road building and road development. This is all according to my driving instructor by the way.

Cycling in these aforementioned cycle lanes is a terrifying experience. I used to cycle a set distance twice a week around my district and I encountered people parking all over them, people driving all over them (not really their fault, as in many places the road is so narrow it's impossible to avoid driving in them), broken glass, large puddles and potholes, and worst of all the cycle lane suddenly disappearing. It is a ridiculous situation, I think they should either have proper cycle lanes or none at all. And I think that the extra funding should not be given unless the cycle lanes are actually safe for use and properly maintained.

Well said Fishie, I feel very lucky to be living in this cycling heaven in Belgium's Limburg where even the prime minister of the land goes cycling and I get about 60 Euro's a month tax free for cycling to work.

BTW this link is worth a look!!! http://www.geocities.com/cyclopath2001/index.htm

Greenman

Nuff said!!!

MorningStar

There is a cycle lane right out a school by Clontarf Dart station. If I go to work for 9 am there are always cars parked in it. I had a car open a door straight into me there once. I lost the head as you can imagine. The drive siad he was sorry about the car door but he had no where else to park, I pointed out the parking area just a 100m up the road. He just shrugged his shoulders.
Two days later similar problems with 3 cars parked in the lane. but there was a garda walking by. I stopped him explained the danger to me and the illegal parking. He said "Where are they going to park?" I again pointed out the parking area. He replied "These people are in a hurry" , I argued that they were breaking the law, endangering my life and dead peopl in front of a primary school probably wouldn't be great. His reply "I have discretion".
I even heard a Garda head guy saying he would not allow his staff ticket people parked in cycle lanes near churches.

Raam

that picture is just pure genius.

One of my pet peeves is people walking/running in the cycle lane from Clontarf to Sutton (that's the one I use most). It's a great facility to use for cycling when no one is in your way, but all too often there they are, oblivious to the danger they are opening themselves to! Of course, it's easy to see and dodge them, but I rather not have to weave in and out of pedestrians when there is plenty of walking space on the othe side of the lovely white line for them to use

KR

Iób

You may enjoy

http://www.warringtoncyclecampaign.co.uk/facility-of-the-month/October2001.htm

Scarinae

Greenman - where was that picture taken?

Victor

Fishie wrote:

Contrary to what you think, the cycle lanes are actually a way of making money. The primary motivation for having cycle lanes is money, that's why they're so badly thought out. You get more funding from the EU if you have so many kilometres of cycle lane - it doesn't matter if it's just 50 metres here and 50 metres there with no connection between the bits, or if they're too narrow, or if the layouts make no sense. All that's required is that they have so many kilometres of cycle lanes, and they get extra funding for road building and road development. This is all according to my driving instructor by the way.

Which EU fund does this money come from?

King Raam wrote:

Of course, it's easy to see and dodge them, but I rather not have to weave in and out of pedestrians when there is plenty of walking space on the othe side of the lovely white line for them to use

Blind people can't see the cycle lane marking.*

* Subtle hint about many pedestrians general awareness levels.